Casual and inviting

Keep the look of your Thanksgiving centerpiece casual by repurposing vintage Bundt cake pans. We turned one into a vase for stems of ilex berries by putting a small glass of water inside the hole. An upside-down pan works as a stand for apple pie. Finish the arrangement with an heirloom pumpkin sitting on top of grevilea, an evergreen plant available at local florist shops. Pine or spruce branches work just as well, look stunning as an alternative, and save you a car trip and money if you've got some in the backyard.

Pretty in white

For a simple tabletop arrangement, place mini white or orange-stripe pumpkins on white candlesticks and dishware. A bittersweet branch in a vase adds a punch of bright color. Fill in with gourds to complete the elegant display. (The little orange-stripe gourds are called 'Lil' Pump-Ke-Mon'.)

Brass accents

It’s all about the brass on this table. Gather old brass serving dishes and make them do double duty by planting big-box store succulents in them. Bosc pears and mini pumpkins enhance the scene. Placed pieces on top of wide burlap ribbon, the type sold at crafts stores, for a pleasing contrast between the shiny brass and the rustic texture of the ribbon.

Orange-and-white beauty

Succulents and silver

Succulents (purchased from a big-box store) inspire a color palette of greens and purples in this Thanksgiving centerpiece. Vintage silver serving dishes add a bit of shine. A tray unifies the decor when smaller vases and serving pieces are on it. Purchase an ornamental squash and red grapes at a local grocer and add dried hydrangeas for a bit of height.

Seasonal abundance

Complete this fresh Thanksgiving centerpiece with a single trip to the grocery store and a little creativity. Carve out the center of a head of purple cabbage and fill the space with florists' foam or a small vase and water. Fill the opening with your favorite blooms, and surround the cabbage with small artichokes, spiky lettuce and colorful berries.

Easy maize

Maize and wheat create a simple Thanksgiving centerpiece that harkens back to the origins of the holiday. Place dry floral foam in a galvanized pail or bucket so that it sticks up over the rim an inch or two. Insert wheat stalks into the foam. They should fan out around the edges of the container. Top with multicolor ears of maize. For festive place settings, attach a name card to an extra cob set on each plate.

Holiday glow

White pumpkins and small succulents set a serene Thanksgiving scene. Hollow out the center of a few pumpkins to make room for a vase of flowers or a flickering candle. Use slices of wood—bark intact—as raised platforms down the center of the table.

Edible arrangement

Everyone loves pie at Thanksgiving, so why not incorporate it into your centerpiece? Place pies on pedestals or cake stands at different heights. A birch trunk makes a pretty, natural pedestal. Fill in with leaves and fruits. Use small paper flags to label pie flavors.

Cornucopia

Natural beauty

A love of nature inspired this Thanksgiving centerpiece. Slabs of wood elevate an heirloom pumpkin. These slabs are wood chargers you can purchase online, but you can also find wood slabs in various sizes at Save-On-Crafts. Gather driftwood to surround the pumpkin, and place woodsy-looking flowers, such as yarrow, kangaroo paw and grevilea, in a small glass of water tucked inside the wood.

Naturally simple

Pears, nuts, fall leaves and wheat grouped in a wire bowl form a pretty centerpiece that celebrates autumn's bounty. Accent the display with a solid-color table runner and chartreuse Hypericum berries grouped in small glass vases or cups.

Thankful tree

Decorate your table or mantel with this simple centerpiece. Spray-paint a branch white and nestle in nuts inside a tall, clear vase. Tie on construction paper or foam leaves with the names of family and friends and what they are most thankful for this year.

Soft touches

Amidst an eclectic mix of plush, wooden and glass pieces, a tall vase of deep red leaves draws the eye. The palette of the Thanksgiving table setting complements the baby blue stripes on the love seat; the soft white mini pumpkins coordinate with the rest of the surrounding furniture.

Corn place setting

Harvest holder

Turn a small pumpkin into a candleholder by carving out the middle. Hot-glue mini pinecones and berries around the pumpkin top then surround with larger pinecones, gourds, mini pumpkins and moss. Corral the grouping with birch branches. To add more fall flair, hang mini pumpkins from a twig tree at each end of the table.

Small world

An old globe becomes a unique display vessel when you separate the hemispheres. To create a seasonal look, place pinecones, acorns, seedpods, small pumpkins and bittersweet inside the "bowl." Elevate it on a short candleholder, cup or vase. The centerpiece is a pretty reminder to be thankful for our world and environment.

Autumn glow

To create a low centerpiece that encourages conversations even across the table, group fall-hue pillar candles of different heights on top of a wood cutting board. Finish the look with dried oranges, fall gourds and bittersweet. For coordinating place settings, top each napkin with a single fall leaf, and tie a velvety ribbon around the middle.

Bountiful tabletop

Create a beautiful table display that shows off the bounty of the season. Cylindrical vases filled with birdseed provide a sturdy base for branches from which small pumpkins dangle on bits of twine. Between the vases, hollowed-out gourds hold candles as well as berries. Finish the look by arranging berries, pinecones, gourds, branches and moss around the vases.

Quiet country

A bunch of hydrangeas overflowing from a single vessel adds understated elegance to an autumn table. Emphasize fall's bounty by placing green and white gourds around the arrangement and flanking it with lanterns.

Easy fruit box

Use a wooden box to serve as a centerpiece. Fill the base with dry floral foam, then tuck mixed evergreens throughout. Attach citrus fruits, such as oranges, lemons and limes, to floral picks, and tuck them into the greenery. For the clove patterns, use a pencil to draw spirals or other designs on an orange, then poke whole cloves into the skin at evenly spaced points.

Family tree

Make a family tree, literally, by hanging photo "ornaments" on a potted tabletop tree. Clip photos directly to tree branches or hang from twine or string. For added color, cover potting soil with red cherries or mini gourds.

Dressed-up fruits

Add sparkle to autumn colors with this easy centerpiece idea. Choose a few pears or apples and decorate with adhesive decals in silver, bronze, and gold tones. Group together in a bowl or place along a table runner.